The Key's To Discovery!
by bradj4eva
Summary: Spira is under attack! Shiva believes Spira is her's, though brother and sister, Rikku and Tidus seem to think different. Can these mysterious keys lead to the secrets which will slowly be revealed, or will they lead to something more darker!
1. The Ice War

**A/N : Hey there! I'm bradj4eva, but you can call me Brad. This is my first story so please no **

**flames!!! This is a story me and my friend wrote together, so I'd thought I would share it with you! Please Read and feel free to review, cheers!!!!! **

**Disclaimer : I own only the story line and my own OC's and cities. Characters and Spira belong to Square-Enix and I am jealous!!!!!!**

----------STORY-----------

Chapter 1 – 'The Ice War'

The streamlined icicle's kept plummeting towards the ground and instantly penertrating the warriors. Several more came crashing down and circled a group of warriors trying to escape this danger. The ice war had been raging for two years now and Misty Mountains was starting to feel it's force. The tall cold exccentric buildings were starting to shatter with the force of the thuds of these giant icicles which were deliberatley being scorned towards people.

Misty Mountains was a exccentric place, it was most famous for it's people, the Ronso people, with giant horns thriving through their head's, covered in dark blur fur which swept and blew in the wind, big snout noses which stuck out as far as their giant chin, grey horse hair, which looked like paint which had been splogded on their head and a great big build, with a very powerful punch. Mt Gagazet was the biggest mountain and the most effected by the war. It had lost several warriors which had battled to try and save the mountains and it's Ronso people were suffering from starvation which was tearing Gagazet apart. The freezing Himalayan Highlands were also being affected, the holes which had been blasted through the mountain by the big machinery, machina had really stunned the people of Spira, how this undestructable machina could blast through nature.

For the last two years, there has been no idea why the war had raged, though people from all over Spira had come to fight in it, mages from both black and white types, warriors from all over, swordman with the ability to move fast and still be able to kill quick and summoners, summoning to try and prevent more people from dying and not caring about themselves. Though there was one person who knew the real reason behind it all, her name was Colliar Colder. She was the most mesmerising cold looking woman. She wore a violet long dress with shining green sequins wrapped round intertwining through the dress, her eyes sparkled with beauty. She wore a futuristic hat which had multiple patterns and stuck out at the back and had two points, which wrapped round her face up her cheek. Her face had turned a light blue which had been stained by the coldness of Misty Mountains.

The war had paused for a month, the Ronso's had calmed down their fighting and the other enemies had shielded themselves from the blasts. The Al-Bhed from Viscious Volcanoes had stopped their machina and the Mer-People fom Watery Lakes had stopped shooting water ball's from the whirlpools, which had been conjured up by the Mer-People's water magic. Colliar decided to have a meeting with the main leaders of Spira. Watery Lakes leader, King Tritan and Thunder Forest Leader, Serena Sandu.

"Welcome, my fellow leaders, I have some news. Sir Jecht, leader of Viscious Volcanoes has announced he and Kinoc, Physic City leader have joined forces to try and stop this persistant war, which has raged for good reason. We knew both were enemies, but now they have become allies" she engaged to the listening crowd who buldged with eager.

"Maybe, we should stop this?" asked King Tritan, "It has been going on for long enough now, we need to come to an agreement with these people, children, cities and famalies suffering all over Spira and the buildings that have been destroyed, I don't think we need to carry on anymore, there was no particular reason anyway, you just started it Colliar and it just isn't right"

At the meeting, scholars, politician's and main leaders all were shell shocked by the insight which had just been heard by them all. Colliar's face all of a sudden screwed up in anger, her husband, Khimarhi came storming in with his long sharp spear which nearly touched the ceiling.

"They have started, the Al-Bhed, from Viscious Volcanoes, there shooting at us" Khimarhi roared to all the people in the ice domed building.

"Everyone out" shouted Colliar, she turned round and stared into King Tritan's eyes, "I'll deal with you later. Guards keep him in here", as she walked out, she turned back round to face him, "Oh, and by the way, there is a reason, but, you'll never find out, will you?". She walked out and the guards strared at her in the mesmerising way in which all people stared at her. She whispered to her leading guard , who's helmet was shaped different to the others, so people could see the rank of the guard. "Kill him". A few minutes later a ghastly cry was heard throughout the corridors of the ice shaped dome, and King Tritans body, came crashing down out of the smashed ice from the dome, more screams and moans were heard as his body had spluttered on the ground, Colliar heard these screams but all that she heard in her mind was the ringing of laughter and the thought of one less leader of Spira for her sister to defeat, whilst she reigns Misty Mountain's in the near future.

The girl was running as fast as she could through the freezing sheets of ice surrounding her. She slipped. The noise of the bangs and the thuds kept her going, she told herself several times, "I'm not going to die here, I'm not going to die here". Her name was Lulu. Her long black silk threaded hair chased her as she ran, All she heard was the shatters of ice breaking. She was eleven years old and her parents had forced her into the war. Her black magic skills were far superior than any other black mage she knew, at the age of eleven this was fantastic. Evidently she had her weaknesses and the cold was one of them. She had grew up in Bevelle, and major city in the physic lands, 'Physic City'. Before the war she lived peacefully in a tall apartment sky scraper, which ripped through the sky. At the age of nine, her life changed forever, when she discovered she was a black mage. Her parents acknologed that black magic was evil. So she was forced to fight in 'The Ice War'.

"Hey, little girl, it's not safe, come here quick, I don't want you to die" a Al-Bhed dressed man shouted at Lulu.

Lulu looked at the man, she didn't say anything, she stood there in shock. She had always had a fear of Al-Bhed, her dad had battled one when she was younger and her fear had stricken her once again. "NO!!!" she shouted, "I...I...I'm fine, I can look after myself"

"Listen, if you move you will fall through the sheet of ice underneath you" the man replied.

Lulu looked afterneath her and she saw how thin the ice was underneath her, the little cracks started to turn into bigger ones in a matter of seconds and they expanded into one big crack. At that moment Lulu fell. She hit the ice water and felt the freezing water suck in all around her, her breathing stopped and her throat dried. She could swim, but she couldn't swim in this water, she thought she could feel icicles jabbing her all over her body. The man slid towards the hole in the sheet of ice and jumped in with force. He grabbed Lulu with both hands and bobbed up towards the air where he and Lulu could breath. The both hit the ice ground with a shudder, and Lulu's eyes were closed and the pulsating of her heart had stopped.

"Do not die on me, we need you" the man spoke to himself. He gave her mouth to mouth and she still didn't wake up, he then pressed down on his chest several times.

"One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four" he said to himself as he was counting the number of presses he did. All of a sudden a tear rolled down his eye, the wet tear fell off his face and landed on Lulu's neck. He gave her one last mouth to mouth and then Lulu woke up.

"Uhhhhh" Lulu burst out as her heart started pumping again. The man's face lit up with relieve, "Now, let me take you home" the man stated, "We don't want you dying, we need you in the future"

Lulu's recognised this man's face, she knew he sounded familiar, then it came to her, she knew he was leader of Viscious Volconoes, Jecht Kachinski, one of the main enemies of Collier Colder.

A few days had passed and Collier was sitting in her main office. She flicked back her hair in arrogance. Her hand was moving violently as she was writing with her quill. She folded the paper several times and wrote the name 'Shiva' on the envelope and put it in one of her files and locked it with a strange shaped key. As she walked down the corridor, she noticed that her lead guard was gone, and his helmet had been left on the one of the chairs hovering in the corridor.

"Excuse me where is Jacque, the one who wears this helmet" she held up the helmet to show the first guard to saw walking past the office corrior.

"You don't know maam. He was killed, by an unidentified Al-Bhed person carrying a black haired girl in his hands, i'm sorry to tell you like this" the guard replied to Collier.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll be with him soon, but you will be with him first". She pulled out a machina gun out of her shiny sequined pocket and pulled the trigger with satisfaction, the bullet penertrated his head and he fell to the floor with a thud.

"The show must go on" Collier filed to herself. She left her ice domed building and left for the blitzball stadium.

Collier arrived at the blitzball stadium and shot all the people in her sight, her machina gun didn't reach her sequined pocket now as it was constantly in her hand vibrating as bullets shot out of it. She reached the announce table at the stadium and noticed the giant speaker balancing on the table. She reached for it and then saw some giant fiends circle ling her, hissing and cracking the floor as they stood on the imaged tiles of famous blitzball players. At that moment she pulled out her staff, which was strangely shaped, with sharp blue spikes, pointing in every direction. It's handle went from thick at the top to real thin at the bottom with spirals surrounding it right round.  
"Thundara!" she shouted. The fiends fell to the floor in an instance. She remarked to herself as if she knew how powerful she was.

For the second time, she reached for the speaker and immediately starting speaking into it.

"My fellow, feeble warriors of Spira, I call your attention", a flying fiend came towards her from behind, she lifted her staff and a giant ice ball flew from it and killed the fiesty fiend.

"As I was saying. It's now time for me to tell you the secret behind this war and the reason why I engaged into this war", she lifted her head in satisfaction. The people of Misty Mountain's stood there in amazement, and not just the people of Misty Mountain's, but the people of Spira. Her face had appeared on televisions in people's home's, on giant entertainment screens and it seemed to appear on people's cell phones as they were in the middle of texting their loved ones.

"So sit back and enjoy", her voice echoed throughout Spira. A roar of exitement bellowed through Spira and the people were literally enjoying this site. This was except for the cities who despised Collier, Viscious Volcanoes and Physic City.

Collier lifted up her staff and started waving it, spiraling through the air. The staff was starting to catch wind. Moving faster and faster until all that was saw was a blur which was moving really fast. Her feet began to lift off the ground, her hat became more erect and her staff now was moving so quickly, people couldn't even get a glimpse of the amazingly structured feature.

At that moment the people of Spira had changed their roar of exitement to a torment of fright. Collliar was now turning into something that had never been un earthed before. Her sequins had become green teeth which had been engulfed by her purple dress, which was becoming the skin, gums and structure of this deafening beast. Her hat was the centre, wrapping the beast in multi patterns. Her head morphed into a big pus filled eyeball which was enriched with a sparkling blue diamond eye. The claws of the beast grew thicker and bigger by the second. The beast's call could have been heard all over, it was offical, Collier Colder, leader of Misty Mountains had become a magnificent giant beast, whos main aim was to destroy Spira.

The beast's path was of death, it killed anyone in it's way. Tredding on innocent people, clawing the ones who had tried to stop it, engulfing all the people trapped in it's ice dome weapen which had been made by it's powerful magic. In an instance a long shreiking noise was heard all over Spira. From the fires of Viscious Volcanoes to the waters of Watery Lakes. The beast immediately starting running, flattening anything in it's path. The ground started making a ferocious noise, and this didn't startle the beast at all. Then Thunder Forest, around 200 hundred miles away from the beast, starting shaking. The ground felt as if it was a football being kicked back and forth. Earthquakes were common, but not one like this. The ground, right in the middle of Thunder Forest was opening gradually bit by bit, unleashing powerful shockwaves as it was doing so. Thousands of people had already been killed and more were being demolished by this unusual event. The crack had opened at least one mile long. The beast was still running at the speed of a really fast then it reached the crack.

Lulu had heard all this unusual disturbance, she was still in the arms of Jecht Kachinski, they were also running, just like the beast, she was using her magic to attack the enemies and he was using his giant samurai. Lulu knew what had happened with Collier turning into this beast and she was dazed, confused and she needed to know the reason.

"Um, sir Jecht, I need to ask you a question" she asked the Al-Bhed dressed Jecht.

"Sure go ahead, what is it young Lulu" he replied in a calming tone.

"Why has Collier done this, why has she turned into a beast, when her City needs her?"

"Listen. When Collier was born she was born with the hat, the hat she wears. Her parents never understood why, but it was soon revealed that this hat was the sign of evil and a sign of the devil" he replied in a stiff manner, not really wanting to tell Lulu.

"So this beast, is her in her devil form and thats why she started the war, so she could see how powerful this beast is."Lulu exclaimed.

"Yes, correct, but theres only one problem, once she becomes a beast she will never go back to her original state, she will die in a matter of weeks" He replied.

Lulu didn't know what to think, this beast could be anywhere, and she didn't know the significance of the massive crack in the ground.

Soon after, the beast had reached the massive abyss, the giant crack which had been caused by the acts of nature, or had it? It gave out one last roar and jumped in the crack. The beast had destroyed and now it was gone. A few seconds after a noise was heard, throughout the land a kind of jingling sound, the noise of keys which were scattered in different directions.

Days had passed and still no one would enter the crack, knowing that one day, even years, the beast could still cause up roar for one last time. To be precise, 20 years had passed and the giant black hole in the ground had not be touched.


	2. The Pass Over

Chapter 2 – The Pass Over

The crowd was bellowing in the arena and the laughs, chuckles and the conversations could be heard throughout. Rikku and her mother, Namine were amongst the people and feeling them press against their body's as the crowd was pushing to try and find their seats. The long awaited event had arrived, 'The Pass Over'. It was an event in which occurred once a year and saw the young trainee's of Spira become saviours, and were now able to join the Spira Army to protect and serve.

"Over here," shouted Rikku as she forced her way through the echoing crowds. Her and her mother reached their reserved seats in which had a bright green tag saying, 'The Spiral Party'.

Rikku Spiral was seventeen years old, which was slightly younger than her brother, Tidus, who was sixteen. She had grew up without a father and had no intention of finding him, though she was always curious to see what he would be like, whether he would be like her. Her mother Namine had never really told her about her father, in fact she never really mentioned him. Rikku always thought she was scared, whether something had happened all those years ago that made Namine too frightened to talk about him.

The crowd had erupted as Kinoc Forgeka emerged from the side of the stage. Kinoc had been incharge of Physic City for more that 40 years and now his age was showing.

"Welcome, people of S-Spira", he encountered to the engaged audience. "As you are aware we are here to witness the passing over of the young and brave fighters who will be joining the Spira Army"

A cold shiver ran down Rikku's spine as she heard Kinoc say these words. She was so proud of her brother and knew he was always going to do well in life, she never knew why, but she always saw these images in her head, her brother facing success, but she never seemed to appear in these images herself.

"This event has taken place every year to see these marvellous people approach their future destiny's", said Kinoc. "From black and white mages, to extreme weaponed warriors, from quick elite swordsman and back round to the extraordinary summoners, all whom which will achieve great glory when joining the Spira Army".

Great explosions of fireworks emerged from the Thunder Forest arena, in which 'The Pass Over' had always taken place. What baffled Rikku was that it was situated so close to the massive crack in the ground, which was embarked upon around 20 years ago, when Collier Colder ruled Misty Mountains.

"So, now lets meet all these people who have set out their dreams and goals in the future and whom will embark on a incredible journey through the wilderness of the amazing continent that we call Spira!", Kinoc announced from his table in the centre of the stage. Different names were being called out who had achieved this great glory.

Fifteen minutes had passed and Rikku was waiting anxiously for her brother to have his moment up on the stage. So was her mother Namine who was waiting patiently to see her son's face when he was awarded the Spira Army badge, so it could be seen that who were the lucky ones that had been chosen to go in the army and face evil. Namine was a very patient woman. Her past had been filled with excitement aswell as terror. She had never told the secret behind Rikku's father, nor the secret in which told the tale of her other child, Tidus. Namine had seen many therapists to try and make her life liveable, and it seemed to work, for now.

"And next up, to be awarded his badge of honour is Tidus Spiral" the announcer woman called out.

"Yea, go Tidus", shouted Rikku at the top of of her lungs.

"Rikku! Be quiet and lets just admire your brother as he accepts his badge", Namine said as she nudged Rikku in the arm.

Tidus walked onto the stage. He arms and legs were shaking as if he had just entered a cold indulged freezing blitzball pool and he had just come out dripping wet. His smile was frowning as if he had just had a squabble with Rikku or Namine. His body stiffened up like a tall oak tree and his arms were fluttering nervously like the leaves as he approached to shake Kinocs hand. Her turned to look at the crowd to get a clear view of how many people had turned up. He had a quick glimpse until he had met his mothers eyes. Namines eyes met Tidus eyes, and a tear rolled down Namines face, she had never experienced such a high achieving event which had involved one of her children. Rikku saw the look on her mother's face as she was staring at her son. She just wished she could do something that would put a look on her mother's face like the one she had when seeing Tidus, but she knew deep inside that what she was going to reveal in the future would make her mum fall apart.

Tidus had accepted his award and had now headed back to the seats to see the second part of the ceremony.

"O mi gosh, you were amazing up there, you did us both well proud!" exclaimed Rikku in an excitable voice.

" Yes, I am so proud of you son" emitted Namine, as she gave her son a comforting hug.

"So now it's time for the second part o the ceremony tonight, the passing over of a new leader" Kinoc announced. Once again the crowd had become engulfed in another wave of noise and Kinoc made a blowing noise in the mic to calm everybody down. "So, now you are all settled I will begin with welcoming the leaders of each city"

As he was reading out the leaders, Tidus had noticed something shiny on the floor which had been glistening in the sunlight. He went to approach it until he heard Kinoc's voice on the mic say, "Vice leader of Viscious Volcanoes, Lulu Convayer". He was stricken by Lulu. She had always had that look of power and passion. As long as he could remember she had been vice leader, and she was always attached to the leader of Viscious Volcanoes, Jecht Kachinski. He could see that now on the stage as she was standing at his side and she seemed shy when engaging with the other leaders and vice.

"Hey look it's Lulu!" said Rikku looking at Tidus. "She really inspires me, when she was the only woman who was allowed in the Spira Army and was aloud to fight because of her strength. I want to be to the second woman to do that" exclaimed Rikku.

"And how are you going to do that, tell mom what you are doing at the moment behind her back, just to try and get in the army. You know you have to be spectacular to get into the army, not just become a...". Before he could finish the sentence Rikku interrupted him.

"Sssshhhh, I don't mom hearing this, so be quiet, it's going to break her heart when I tell her" Rikku replied.

"And now the moment we have all been waiting for." Kinoc's voice once again echoed from the microphone. " The new leader of Misty Mountain's will be announced, so who will be. The new leader of Misty Mountain's is Shiva Colder"

Now half the crowd were roaring with excitement and the other mouths were wide open with disbelief.

"Mom, is that Collier Colder's younger sister?" asked Rikku.

"I'll be god damned, yes, yes it is. I can't believe they have accepted her offer of becoming leader, literally what is Spira coming to", Namine words spoke and a man behind replied. "I totally agree with you maam. I am shocked to see her in power, after what happened to her sister years ago, it's an outrage"

Tidus and Rikku looked at the man and then looked at their mother who was now engaging in a conversation of what happened all those years ago.

"People of Spira", Shiva's voice was heard thoughout the arena. "You may see my welcome as a evil welcome, an insightful welcome and an unhelpful welcome. But _my _welcome will consist of help for the poor, aiding the young, making the Spira Army a better defence, though it has a brilliant defence at the moment, I must say. I will make Spira a safe place to live, a safe place for children and summoners who wish to carry out pilgrimages to collect their aeons, and lastly I will enhance Spira by making new school's, hospitals and not just sit in my office all day doing nothing but protecting Spira with all my might and power".

The entire crowd now was roaring and this amazing speech. People were climbing over chairs to try and touch Shiva, shouting her voice and yelling. Shiva had come to save Spira, but is Spira going to have to protect itself against Shiva?

Night was falling upon Thunder Forest arena and the crowds were starting to depart and head off home in the coaches and shoopuffs in which brought them here.

"Listen Mom. Do you think Shiva can help us and stop the poor and stuff?", asked Rikku.

"Listen, both of you". Both Tidus and Rikku listened insightfully.

"Collier Colder was an evil and decisive woman who always got what she wanted and only cared about herself. I actually don't think Shiva will be like it, but did you see that cold look about her, the stained blue face she had, that long plain red dress which seemed to go on forever, the blue haired plaits that also seemed to go on forever. She defiantly has that look about her, but I do think she will do as well", Namine proclaimed to her children.

"I actually quite like her, I think she has passion", said Rikku.

"Just like Lulu", replied Tidus.

The Spiral family started heading towards their car, that was until Tidus saw the sparkling object in which he saw before, but his time it was even stranger. The sun had set but the object was still glistening like a diamond, just like before.

"What is that?" he mumbled to himself as he headed in the objects direction.

"Tidus, come back we haven't got time to play silly games, we need to get back home" Namine shouted towards Tidus' direction.

"Hang on, just a sec" Tidus shouted back. He approached the object to see that it was a shiny key, which was still shimmering in his hand. He looked at it closely and he noticed how strange shaped it was, it seem to lure him in, luring him to look at it.

"Oh, Rikku, go and get him" Namine told Rikku.

Rikku ran towards the direction of Tidus. She saw him and spoke in a subtle tone. "Come on, stop messing about"

"Look at this, this key. Isn't it strange?" he told her.

"Whoa, yeah, it looks like a mangled key" Rikku said.

"Thank you!". A strange voice said from behind them, as this person snatched the key.

Both Tidus and Rikku turned round to see Shiva standing right behind them.

"Um, I take it this is yours", said Tidus. He looked at her and he seemed mesmerised by her, her long plaited hair and her blue skin which brightened slightly in the moonlight.

"You mustn't play with things that are not yours" she said arrogantly to both Tidus and Rikku.

Meanwhile Namine was waiting for her children, she never got impatient, but now she was. She felt a hand tap her on her shoulder and she whizzed round to see the impeccable Lulu standing upon her.

"Are you lost?" said Lulu to Namine.

"Lulu Convayer, how nice it is to meet you. Um, no I am just waiting for my children, they just went behind that crate" replied Namine.

"Well, lets go and get them, after all you don't want them getting lost. Here I'll carry your bag" Before Lulu and Namine could move a step forward they heard the scream of Rikku shatter through the night sky.

"RIKKU!", shouted Namine, as both and her ran towards them.

As they reached behind the crate, Lulu and Namine saw Shiva and Tidus fighting fiends which had seemed to appear out of no-where.

"Here, I'll finish this one off", shouted Shiva as she spiralled round waving her hands. "Diamond dust!", she bellowed and the fiend disintegrated into thin air. One fiend all of a sudden circled Namine and Lulu. Without opening her mouth Lulu waved her hand and the spell 'Thundaja' crackled out of her hand in an nano-second. Then several fiends circled Rikku, who was curled up on the floor. She knew she had to do something, so she pulled out a strange looking glove from her pocket, that had multi-coloured spines on it and was caged in by several pieces of wire. She whirled round attacking the fiends and several items dropped from their mouths and the same time she killed them. At last all the fiends had been killed and Tidus and Rikku were relieved.

"I'm sorry, they just appeared out of nowhere, it was a good job that I was here, or else you children may have been severely injured", exclaimed Shiva, as she walked back into the arena as it was closing.

Though Namine face was in shock at what she had just seen Rikku doing. Aswell as this shock, Lulu's face was also in amazement. Lulu had never seen a woman fight like that, and she knew that Rikku could be capable of lots of power.

"Well, I have to go, though I am impressed. I know a thief is classed as a crime, but you do it well, I look forward to seeing you all again", said Lulu as she disappeared off into the night.

Namine looked at Lulu in disgust, but then she turned to Rikku and gave a look of immense torment and a look of abolishment. On the way home, back to Physic City, Namine and Rikku didn't talk at all, it was an uncomfortable silence, which seemed to last for a century, though Tidus had broke it.

"Listen, I know you have a lot on your mind Rikku, now mom knows in all, about you training as a thief, but we have to tell someone about Shiva, she set those fiends on us and you know it", Tidus said quietly so his mother couldn't here.

"We need to figure out the significance of the key and why she snatched it away from us, why does she wasn't it so badly?", replied Rikku.

"I don't now, I really don't know", said Tidus as they were approaching the driveway of their house.

A few hours had passed and still Namine was not speaking to her daughter, she was shocked to see how Rikku acted and how she stole those items. One thing Namine didn't know, was that in a few months to come, Rikku's skills would become needed to save Spira.

**A/N : This is my second chapter of my story, hope you enjoy it so far. Please review and tell me what you think. If it's needs any improvements, please tell me, but don't be mean!**


	3. Flash Backs And Forwards

**A/N : Hey Guy's, this is my third chapter to The Key's to Discovery. We start to learn a lot about Rikku in this chapter and how her life will change in a couple of days. Please enjoy and feel free to review!!!**

Chapter 3 – Flash Backs And Forwards

The sun broke into the morning and the sky was starting to rise in Eyeville City. The large skyscrapers reflected the beaming sun as it shone at the mirrored windows. Apartment 5A in the north side of central city, Rikku had just woken up to find her belongings all scattered all over the floor, her drawers were wide open and her jewellery on her dressing table had been thrown on the floor, but not taken. She immediately ran into her mother's room, Namine, who had not been speaking to her for several days after the incident at 'The Pass Over'.

"Mother, quickly get up, I think we have been burgled, quick, up", spluttered Rikku, through her tightened lips as she couldn't speak properly. Her mother was still lying there sound asleep and not seemed to pay much attention to Rikku at all.

"Mom, wake up", Rikku shook her mother several times and still she stayed sound asleep, this really startled her and at that point she phoned the police.

The Physic City Police Department arrived in a matter of minutes and Rikku had been hovering over her mother while they searched her house.

"So, what's going on, what has happened to my mom", Rikku shouted at the police officer.

"It seems that your mother has taken some sleeping pill's, but very strong ones. You said you shook her several times right?", said the police officer.

"More than several" exclaimed Rikku.

"Well we will take her in the hospital, and just give her some tests...strange isn't it?" questioned the police officer.

"Sorry, what's strange?" replied Rikku.

"Well, it seems someone has been in your house and not stolen anything, you jewellery is safe and none of your money is stolen, it seems they were looking for something else." said the police officer.

"Well, what does this mean?" asked Rikku.

"I don't know, I really don't know", the police officer replied.

Rikku was standing over her mother as she lay in the hospital bed. Her mother seemed calm and comforted as she lay there. Her deep breathing was the only slight noise that she heard as she hoped her mother would wake up soon.

"Telephone? Rikku Spiral?" a woman called from the reception desk, as she broke the calming silence.

"Oh, that's me", called Rikku. She headed towards the hospital phone, walking slowly so if she heard her mother she could quickly run back. She spoke into the phone, "Hello?"

"It' me, Tidus", said Tidus' voice down the phone. "I heard what had happened, is mother ok?" Tidus had been practising his sword skills in the Spira Army since 'The Pass Over' and it really effected Rikku as she had always been so close to her brother.

"Listen Ti, someone has been routing in our house and they have looted through our things. I'm scared and I need you to come home, what the hell is going on?", Rikku said quite loudly down the hospital phone.

"Rikku, calm down. I am coming home in about three days." he replied.

"THREE DAYS! Can't you make it two, I am just scared if someone else will come back." Rikku said still not very calm.

"I think I know the reason why, I think it's Shiva" said Tidus.

"_Shiva, _why?" asked Rikku.

"That key, she snatched from us, well I found another one just like it and I think she got someone to come looking for it, and I think the may have drugged mom", claimed Tidus.

"Well, I'm not gonna let this slip, you need to come back and we need to go down to Bevelle and confront her as soon as", insisted Rikku.

"NO! Don't because we can't just storm to Bevelle and ask to see her, the imperial guards will wonder what the hell's going on, we need to think of a plan. When I come back from Thunder Forest, we'll discuss, stay with mom and look after her". As soon as Tidus finished his sentence the phone crackled and Rikku couldn't hear his voice no more.

She now felt rage and anger inside, her heart was thumping inside, she wanted revenge on this evil woman. She didn't understand what the significance was of these key's and why Shiva was so eager to get her hands on them. At that moment in thought, the doctor tapped her on the shoulder, which slightly startled her.

"Rikku is it?", the doctor asked.

"Yes, is my mother going to be ok", she replied.

All of a sudden the man started to sound more soothing and seemed to be be supportive, Rikku could tell this from his body language. "Your mother may be asleep for at least a week", he said.

"A week! But what in god's name has she taken to make her fall asleep for, a week!", said Rikku as she seemed shocked, though at this point she knew her mother had not taken anything but the fact that she had been drugged, so she wasn't their to look after her children.

"Well", the doctor implied. "We know your mother had not taken anything, she has definitely been drugged by someone or something, so tonight you will be staying in the hospital, so you can be safe"

Rikku became inflamed with anger, she just wished she had enough evidence to say this was Shiva, though she may be entirely wrong and it may be someone else trying to make the Spiral family break apart.

That night Rikku couldn't sleep, knowing that maybe someone was in her house right now, routing through her stuff, looking for a key, which she didn't even know what that key signified. She also was worried that maybe they had got their hands on Tidus and they had found the key in which he had. Several hours had passed and eventually her eyelids drifted down and her body began to sleep.

She woke up the next morning with strange thoughts in her head. She could see her mother and a strange man beside her. Though her mother looked much younger than what she looked like now, maybe she was about twenty or so and this man was a similar age. The man was a good looking man who dressed in a orange cloak type suit and he seemed to carry a long samurai sword which he carried over his shoulder covering his entire back. She seemed enthralled by this weird thought, and she wished that she could speak to her mom about her weird image which had stuck in her head all day.

Rikku was bored as she rummaged through the shops encountering many purchases. She had bought new clothes that looked graceful when she had tried them on. Shoes, which made her at least two inches taller and a massive bag of sweets for her to guzzle tonight whilst watching over her mother, as she soothed into a deep sleep.

As Rikku walked at a fast pace home she saw many strange people lurking around city centre, people's faces seemed to gaze in her direction, men seemed to look at her up and down and weird woman would ask her for some money when the only gil she had was one, after all she had spent the rest. But one thing she saw which was very intriguing was a shinning object lying on the floor, it looked as though it had been so carelessly dropped and not even considered by it's owner, she took a closer look and was shocked to see what she saw. She tilted her head downwards to get an even closer look and the mangled key sat their right in her view. She took it with great ease and even though she didn't know what it symbolised she still embraced it in her palm and dropped it into her pocket as if she knew she had to protect it.

"Rikku Spira", she called into the electronic name reader on the wall of the hospital. The gates flew open and she entered as quickly as possible, hoping that no-one was following her as soon as she picked up the distinctive key.

Even though her mother couldn't here her she still spoke to her just before dusk and told her the secrets of what her and her brother were encountering.

"Hey mom, well I found another one of those key's today. It's really baffling me. What is their meaning, we have seen at least three. I know Shiva is behind it all. She stole the one key of us, set those fiends on us and now she is rummaging through our house hoping to find the key in which Tidus has. I just hope he is safe, though I am sure he can look after himself". Rikku gave her mom a kiss goodnight and then fell asleep right beside her.

Rikku started experiencing a weird dream which she had never done before. Once again her mother was in the dream around the age of twenty-four this time and she was holding a blonde haired baby in her arms, which seemed to look like Rikku. The man dressed in the orange cloak was also their, he was admiring the baby and stroking it's head, caressing it. But this time the man had a pain looking scar which ran from the top of his eye right down his cheek and seemed to make his eye distort.

"I want you to have this, look after it", the strange man said to Namine. As he said this he passed a key to Namine, one which looked exactly the same as the ones which Rikku and Tidus found.

Rikku woke in the night. She felt the cold sweat sliding down her back making her feel uncomfortable. Her legs seemed to stick to the hospital sheets, like glue. She felt her hair which seemed to contain lots of grease which made her feel dirty, at that point she jumped into the hospital shower, though the cold water made her shiver, so she spent two minutes cleansing herself. She tip-toed back into the temporary hospital bed she couldn't stop thinking about her dream. How strange and similar it was to her thought she had a few nights ago and how spine chilling it was to know that a key just like the one she found seemed to appear in her dream, though she then realised that she could see the key in her dream as it played on her mind, at that point she went straight back to sleep.

Though her dream continued when her eyes shut tight. This time it showed her mum in tears and the strange man hugging her and then hugging the little blonde baby girl who looked slightly older.

"Auron! Don't leave us, we need you, me and Rikku", Namine shouted, as the man hugged them both.

"Do not let go of the key, they've come after me because of it and I would rather that than them come after you" the man replied.

At that point Rikku woke up and sat straight up in fright, she knew now that the man in her dream was her father and the reason why he had left all those years ago.

She didn't sleep one bit after the dream and it that churned through her mind was the thing that her father had said, _Do not let go of the key, they've come after me because of it and I would rather than than them come after you! _She was so confused and more confused at the fact her mother would have been pregnant with Tidus when all of this would have happened but she wasn't in her dream and this puzzled her. She headed towards the hospital pay phone and put 20 gil inside it and decided to call Tidus.

"Hi, can I speak to Tidus please, Tidus Spiral, the swordsman section", she spoke into the phone to the woman who was in charge of the calls that were dialled to the Spira Army office.

"I'll just put you through", she entailed to Rikku.

"Tidus speaking", his voice vibrating down the phone.

"Ti, listen I am coming to Spira Army, I need to speak to you, I have had a dream, and um it's important, but I can't stay here any more, and mom won't wake up, please I need to see you", Rikku spoke really quick and seemed flustered.

"Listen, Rikku if you need to speak to me I am back in a few days, you can speak to me then", Tidus replied.

"It's not good enough", as Rikku said these last four words the phone starting beeping and her credit had ran out.

Now Rikku was fuming, she really needed to see Tidus and tell him of the dreams she had been experiencing. So at that point to grabbed her belongings and left the hospital leaving a note to her mother explaining where she was going. She had left the hospital and now was heading to Thunder Forest to see Tidus.

A few hours had passed and the sun had set on the outskirts of Physic City and Rikku was feeling extremely tired and anxious, her heart was thudding, pounding in her chest and her eyes started to slowly close at times of her journey, she knew at that point she had to rest. Though the word rest began to scare her. She didn't want to sleep because she was scared that she would have another horrible dream and she couldn't stand to be in that circumstance again.

Another three hours had passed and at this point she was walking down Mi'hen High road. Her body had began to dither and her legs were moving slower than ever. Considering the night had fallen she still felt hot and her face had become sweaty and she began to inch continuously. The bags had fell beneath her eyes and she knew she was going to just lie on the floor and fall into the dream world. A minute later, she began to feel dizzy and unsteady, though the ground underneath her was moving, though this was her. She looked up at the sky and the millions of stars became blurry and the grass underneath her also became cloudy. Suddenly she fell to the ground and she had fainted in the middle of Mi'hen High road.

Pictures came flurrying to her mind. She once again saw the moment her father had left her mother and then a new image came rushing into her head, she saw herself in a strange giant room. The room was dark. She saw Shiva come towards her. She was being held by Shiva with a strange ice contraption and she then saw herself fall the the floor as though she had just died.

As Rikku woke up, her head felt like she had bashed it against hard concrete several times. Her heart was beating really fast and her legs felt like jelly as she couldn't stand or move. It came to Rikku's attention that maybe she could see the past, but not just the past, also she could see the future.

**A/N – So that's my third chapter and I hope you enjoyed it. In process of writing Chapter 4!**

**Please review, I would be very grateful!!!!!**

**bradj4eva**


	4. Death of a Master

**A/N – Hey Guys, this is Chapter 4, now it starts too get better. Won't spoil it too much but lets just say, Shiva's time could be up. Enjoy and please tell me what you think.**

Chapter 4 – Death of a Master

Dawn broke upon the Calm Lands, the outskirts of Physic City. Rikku lay there in desperation hoping to see a passer by or someone who was able to help her, but no-one had crossed the calm lands. In her effort to get up, she forced her knees to rest on the ground and try and regain her balance with quickly thrusting herself up, but it was no good. As soon as she tried, her knees buckled and she fell to the ground again. Her legs had been grazed and her clothes were covered in grass stains which were smeared right across her trousers. Still her thoughts were escalating. She was now started to panic, whether what she saw was her death or just a imagination but it still bothered her. The energy from her body felt as if it had been sucked from her by the sun and consumed by the grassy environment around her.

An hour had passed and still Rikku was trying to stand up, though her knees had kept buckling, she was so cross with herself.

"Come on!" she shouted at herself in frustration. She knew inside she could do it, she was a fighter and they never gave up. In the distance her eye had captured something. It looked like powerful lightning bolts not coming from the sky, but seemed to come from the ground. These bolts looked destructible. Tributary's of lightning flew off the main river of lightning and it seemed to stretch for miles. It then clicked, she saw someone fighting fiends with their magic and she then realised that the calm lands was a place for training and fighting fiends, which roamed round these derelict lands.

"Help!" she yelled as loud as her lungs could go, hoping that this strange person could hear her.

"Please, help me!". Once again she shouted praying that this person could hear her.

At that point she noticed that the blurry image seemed to head towards her, she was relieved to know that they had heard her. As the person came closer still Rikku was shouting.

"Over here, I can't move!", the person started running towards Rikku, knowing that she was in need of desperate help. As soon as the person starting coming into Rikku's view vividly she saw who it was, it was Lulu Convayer. Rikku thought she felt her veins burst with excitement and the blood flowing rapidly through her body. Lulu was her idol and now she was going to help her.

"Are you ok?" Lulu asked as she reached Rikku, "Rikku, isn't it. I met you at 'The Pass Over'. What are you doing here?" Lulu questioned.

"Well, I was heading towards the base of the Spira Army, I need to speak to my brother Tidus", Rikku said in a shocked tone as she was surprised that Lulu could remember her.

"Well, I have just come from their and I am just doing a little training to help my thunder spells" said Lulu. "So, why are you lying on the floor in the middle of no-where, you mother must be so worried", declared Lulu.

"Well, I fainted. I have been having these weird dreams lately and I can't seem to sleep at all, I must have been so tired, so I fainted" Rikku replied.

"Well let me call the Spira Army medical centre and I will get them to come and get you" said Lulu. Lulu was on the phone in seconds and was speaking to the medical centre. To Rikku, Lulu seemed really calm and gentle, she was surprised to know that a soft woman like Lulu could be such a powerful black mage.

"There on their way", said Lulu in a calming voice.

Before she knew it, Rikku was lying in a white sheet covered bed which lay in a room with many other beds. She had never been here before and she didn't know where it was until she looked at a sign on the wall saying 'Spira Army Medical Centre'. She had finally got to her destination with help of the wonderful woman Lulu. Rikku decided she was stable enough to get out of her temporary bed and find her brother Tidus. As her legs hit the floor, a sharp pain shot right through her leg, like a bullet attempting to kill someone, though seconds later the pain vanished. She was now able to walk and attempt to reveal what she had found out to Tidus.

Rikku reached a reception desk with a friendly looking woman sitting at it, it was the only woman she had seen here so far, and now she felt a little more comfortable.

"Hi, um I'm Rikku, I have just come from the medical centre. I am looking for Tidus Spiral" exclaimed Rikku.

"Oh, yes Rikku, Lulu told me you were here, please come this way. Tidus is just in training at the moment, I'm sure he won't be long", the woman said as she reassured Rikku.

The woman sat Rikku outside a large brown double door that seemed to glisten with the words 'Swordsman' written on it. She heard clanging of metal swords clash together and big bangs which sounded like strong spells which boomed throughout the room. Rikku was listening intensively until an image cropped up in her head and it seemed to stay there.

She saw a man falling through a large ice domed building. The man seemed familiar to her, she then realised who it was. Ex – Watery Lakes leader King Tritan, who she had read about in books. Her mother had told her about his death and how he had fallen from a tall ice building. Then another image had swamped into her head, it was a very similar image but she saw Kinoc, leader of Physic City fall from a tall sky scraper, which had a large red dome ascending right on top of it.

"Crap!", she called out to herself. She was now aware what was going to happen, Kinoc was going to fall from a building, she had seen it happen in her mind.

Just a minute after the big shiny brown door swung open and Tidus came stumbling out of it panting like a dog.

"Tidus!" shouted Rikku in delight as she ran up to him and gave him a big hug.

"Hey Rikku! When did you get here?" Tidus asked.

"I was brought here by Lulu, and have I got some things to tell you" said Rikku.

"Well, so have I", replied Tidus.

Both Rikku and Tidus had emerged into the lounge room to have a large discussion of the secrets in which they needed to tell each other.

"I'll go first", butted in Rikku. "I can see the past and future, well I think."

"What do you mean?", asked Tidus.

"Well, I saw dad in a dream and how he left mum. He had one of them keys and gave it to her and said that was the reason he had to leave. Just before I think I saw Kinoc fall from a large building, just like King Tritan did, all those years ago", exclaimed Rikku in a quick voice.

"Well if this is true, we've got to go and tell Lulu, right away", said Tidus.

"But what about your news!" Rikku shouted as Tidus had already jumped out of this seat.

"That can wait, if Kinoc dies, the whole of Spira will die" he shouted back at her.

They both wandered through the long hallways, though Tidus knew where he was going as he had been here for quite a while. They came to a large purple door that reached the ceiling and had large black gems sparkling all over it.

"This is Lulu's office", said Tidus quietly.

As Rikku was about to knock, she heard her name echo in the office.

"Well knock then," whispered Tidus.

"Wait! I think their talking about me, people in their"

Both Rikku and Tidus put their ears to the door and they could now hear clearly what was being said in there.

"Listen Jecht, Rikku is capable of lots, her psychic powers seem to being getting stronger according to you and that's why we need her to come on this trip, to find the keys." Rikku recognised this voice, it was Lulu's and she was clearly talking to Jecht Kachinski, leader of Viscous Volcanoes.

"Lulu, she has the same ability as me, she can see in the future and past, but sometimes my powers lie and so might hers," said Jecht.

"Well, Kinoc is dead, you know he was murdered by Shiva and you predicted his death, I am going to ask Rikku how he died, and if she knows, she is coming with me", as Lulu spoke Rikku's mouth dropped wide open, she now knew how strong her powers were and that she would be needed to go on this quest and help Lulu, but she didn't know what the quest would entail. Though she knew one thing it revolved around these mysterious keys.

"Rikku, hide, she's coming", whispered Tidus.

Both of them lunged towards the big grandfather clock that stood really tall against the glossy wooden walls. Lulu emerged from her office with Jecht by her side they were heading to see Rikku, so at that point Rikku and Tidus had to make it back to the medical centre, before Lulu and Jecht got there.

"Here, this way. I know a shortcut", shouted Tidus. Both sprung from their positions and ran as quickly as possible to the medical centre, as they were running Tidus spoke. "So, it seems you can predict right, Kinoc is dead and by what they said, he was murdered by Shiva"

"Well, I guess I was right, but what shall I say when they ask me how he was killed?" Rikku replied.

"Tell them the truth, that you saw him from a building fall, just like King Tritan", said Tidus.

At last they both reached the medical centre and Rikku pounced on her bed, in which she had stayed in. Just at that moment both Lulu and Jecht waltzed into the medical centre with their eyes aiming at Rikku and Tidus.

"Hey Rikku, are you feeling better?" asked Lulu.

"Yes thank you, much better", replied Rikku.

"Good, is it ok if I ask you a few questions?" questioned Lulu.

"Sure, go ahead", exclaimed Rikku.

"You are aware that Master Kinoc has just passed away in the most frightful circumstance, aren't you?", asked Lulu.

"Yes, and it is awfully sad" replied Rikku.

"Well, do you know how he died?" Lulu asked.

"Well, it hasn't been released on the news, but if I recall he fell from a building with a red dome on top of it" Rikku answered.

"Thank you Rikku, you may now rest. Tidus, look after your sister" Lulu said as she waltzed back out with Jecht.

"I told you Jecht, she had the ability to see the future and the past, we need her on the quest to find all the keys and destroy Shiva" Lulu said to Jecht.

Back in the medical centre, Rikku was nervous, she didn't know why, but she hoped she was right and that she didn't make a fool of herself.

"Hey Ti, what was your news you wanted to tell me?" asked Rikku.

"Oh yea! Well these keys, I know the mystery behind them. I overheard these warriors talking and I thought I would listen in" Tidus said.

"So, it isn't just me who earwigs" interrupted Rikku.

"Ha ha" said Tidus sarcastically. "Well, it seems that when Colliar Colder, Shiva's sister, made that massive crack in the ground, as it opened ten keys scattered throughout Spira, which seemed to come from inside the crack. Ever since, warriors, mages and swordsman have been collecting as many keys as possible to try and signify their meaning. Seven have been found we have got two and these warrior seemed to have five"

"But, how have they come out of a crack in the ground, which is just mud and clay?" asked Rikku.

"Well, Shiva has gone missing and she had left a note behind, which was off Colliar. It said about an underground base which was situated underneath the ground. She said in the letter that when Shiva is ready, she will go into the crack and will be taken to the base, thought ten keys is needed for anyone else to enter the base, and that is what the keys are needed for" explained Tidus.

"Wait, we know there are seven, but Shiva had one remember, so how are we going to get that one?" questioned Rikku.

"Well, that's something we will have to think about later, though I heard that their next target is the son of Shiva, Axel, who seems to have one" said Tidus.

"Wait, in my dream, Mom was given one by dad, so we know where all of them are", said Rikku as she jumped up and down.

"Perfect!" shouted Tidus.

All of a sudden, a loud echo of feedback was heard and a man's voice came on the speaker.

"Can Rikku and Tidus Spiral please come to Lulu Convayers office immediately"

"Looks like were in trouble" said Tidus.

Both stood their knocking at Lulu's office door and then the door swung open and Lulu was standing their.

"Come in both of you" said Lulu calmly. "It seems we are going to need you"

"What for?" asked Rikku.

"Jecht seen Tidus who was eavesdropping in on Auron and Messha talking about the key's, so we don't need to explain, your coming with us. Both of you. We need to recollect these keys and show Shiva who's boss", Lulu gave a light chuckle as she said this.

Both Rikku and Tidus were shocked. They thought they would get into trouble for this but they didn't. Then the name _Auron _came into Rikku's mind. That was the name of her father.

"Excuse me Lulu." said Rikku.

"Yes what is it Rikku" said Lulu.

"This Auron, what does he look like?" asked Rikku.

"Well, he wears orange and he has scar across his face, now come on, we've get to get going, we have an adventure ahead of us. Get some sleep, we leave tomorrow" said Lulu as she touched Rikku's cheek.

Rikku now was full of excitement, at last she could meet her father, who she had always thought was dead.

**A/N – So what do you think so far. Chapter 5 in progress. Tell me what you think by reviewing. Thanks!**


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